Application of Trichoderma harzianum on the physiological quality of cowpea seeds

Abstract

The use of fungi in seed treatment can improve the plant's physiological characteristics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the use of Trichoderma harzianum on the physiological quality of bean seeds. The experiment was set up and conducted in the forest seed laboratory of the Federal University of Western Para, in a randomized design, using 4 procedures on the basis of a colony forming unit (CFU): T1 (0 CFU), T2 (4 x 109 CFU), T3 (8 x 109 CFU) and T4 (12 x 109 CFU), with 5 repetitions. Germination percentage (G%), germination speed index (GSI), hypocotyl length (HL) and radicle length (RL) were evaluated as variables. The data were analyzed by variance analysis and the averages were compared using the Tukey test (p<0.05), in addition to the regression analysis, using the Minitab© version 18 statistical software. There were differences between the germination percentage tests, in which T2 obtained 100% of germinated seeds, for GSI it was observed that T2 and T3 were equal and superior to the other treatments, while for RL T1 and T2 obtained the best results, however, for HL there were no statistical differences between treatments. T2 was more efficient in the physiological quality of seeds to germination percentage and germination speed index.